The Power of Purple: QCA Community Helps Student Battling Cancer

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Tonight, there were not two teams -- only one... Team Taylor.

On Monday, November 12th, 2012, the community of Abingdon, Illinois came together on the basketball court to show their support for an 8th grader and team player battling a rare form of cancer.

Taylor Kyser was diagnosed with Telangiectatic Osteosarcoma on October 26th, 2012. Since her diagnosis, she's already fought through two rounds of chemotherapy.

"She's tough," says Queen Graees, Taylor's mother. "She's a fighter."

And in the last two weeks, people in Abingdon have fought for Taylor as well. During a benefit on Sunday, November 11th, 2012, the community raised more than $5,000.

In just a couple of days, the school district sold nearly 500 t-shirts. The t-shirts are purple - Taylor's favorite color - and read "Hoopin' for a Cure" on the front and "Team Taylor" on the back.

"These girls have been with Taylor since kindergarten," says Angie Perry, team mom. "They've played through all the sports together and especially basketball, since it's such a team sport the girls are more like a family."

All the proceeds from Sunday night's benefit and the t-shirt sales go to Taylor and her family.

Queen says her daughter is exhausted and very tired, but she misses her friends and was excited to make an appearance at the benefit.

"We live in an awesome community," says Queen. "When something so tragic like this happens to a family, the whole community came together and showed my daughter and her family so much love and support. It's overwhelming. We're so blessed."